Foot operated water control



June 23, 1942, 55555 2,287,011

FOOT OPERATED WATER CONTROL Filed Nov. 12, 1940 IHHHHIIII m HHII 'I/IHHHIIM- wHIHIHHHHIIIIlI 1 Z5 6 ifizaewn Jeai Zfl Zeebe Patented June 23, 1942 U N] TE D STATE S PATENT OFF! C E 2,287,011 FOOT OPERATED WATER CONTROL Leslie W. Beebe, Oak Park, 111.

Application November 12, 1940, Serial No. 365,284

'7 Claims. (01. 74-512) The invention relates generally to foot operated mixing valves, or the like, andparticularly to such a device which may be operated by means of a single pedal or treadle.

.The invention has among its objects theproduction of .such a device which is simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, durable and very efficient in operation.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a device in which the treadlemember is constructed to provide a very smooth action so that the liquids may be readily mixed in the desired proportions, by operating the treadle merely with the toe of the foot, if so desired.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a device having means for preventing the net treadle from rotating into'an undesired position.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention herein shown and described will be obvione to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown anddescribed and more parwere difiicult to clean around. Likewise, due to their construction they did not provide'a smooth and easy action for controlling the mixing of the fluids. 'With the present invention these disadvantages are eliminated.

employed wherein suitable actuating members extend from :theside of the housing, the specific construction of the valves and housing forming nopartof the invention. The actuating members 6 and 'l'are movable along their longitudinal axis to open and close .the valves, the latter being open when themembers are moved inwardly towards the housing and closed when they are moved outwardly :to the position illustrated in Figs. '1 and 2. The members are returned to closed position by suitable springs or other means, and are provided with cap members 8 to conceal and .protect'theend portions of the valve structure, etc.

Extending from the upper portion of the housing and integrally formed "therewith is an arm 9 which supports a transversely extending rod 10. Pivotally carried by the rod Iii are a pair of L-shaped levers H and I2, havingdownwardly extending portions 13 and i4, and outwardly extending portions 15 and 16, respectively. The downwardly-extending portions l3 and it of the levers are engageable, as'illustrated, with the actua'ting members'li and 1 .of the valves, so that as the portions II and l-2 of the levers are urged downwardly, the levers will rotate about their pivotal connection, thereby moving the members 6 and I inwardly to actuate the valves.

Connecting the free ends of the two levers is a flat treadle i I. The latter is provided with a'pair of spaced downwardly extending portions l8, each having a bore l9 therein. Secured to the resp-ective portions 1 I and I2 of the levers are laterally extending studs 2|, which terminate in arcuate or spherical-shaped portions or heads 22.

may be employed for securing the stud and head.

to its respective lever. It will be noted that the head 22 is movable longitudinal in the bore l9, thereby permitting a longitudinal movement of the treadle relative the lever. This movement permits one lever to be pressed down without affecting the other lever, as obviously, the distance between the ends of the two levers is increased when the levers are not moved down equal amounts, as for example, when one lever remains stationary and the other is moved downward to actuate one valve only. The heads 22, due to the spacing 'Of the portions l8 cannot be removed from the bores [9 without disconnecting the levers II and l2, or at least one of them, from the arm 9 as the outwardlyextending portions 15 and 1'6 .of the respective levers will prepartially actuating the other valve.

vent movement of the treadle sufficient to withdraw the heads 22 from their respective bores. In other words, the portion l5 of the lever II will engage its respective portion l8 of the treadle and prevent withdrawal of the head carried by the lever l2 from its bore. Likewise, the lever l2 will prevent the head, carried by the lever II, from being withdrawn from its respective bore. The device may be disassembled, however, by driving out the pin It! to disconnect one or both of the levers II and I2 from the arm 9, after which the treadle may be readily disengaged from the levers. One or both of the levers are extended, as shown at 23, to provide a stop for the treadle and prevent the same from rotating outwardly and downwardly to a position below the levers, thus, the treadle will always remain above the levers in operative position.

In operation if it is desired to actuate only the hot water valve, the foot is placed at the left side of the treadle so that only the lever II is actuated. Similarly, if only cold water is desired, the foot is placed at the opposite end of the treadle so that only the lever I2 will be actuated. By placing the foot at an intermediate point on the treadle, various combinations may be achieved to obtain the desired amount of mixing. It will be seen that by placing the foot adjacent the end of the treadle as the latter is moved downwardly, the opposite end of the treadle will tend to move upwardly, thereby tending to rotate the opposite arm out of engagement with the valve actuating member. Thus, when it is desired to actuate only one valve this may be readily accomplished without danger of This feature is particularly advantageous, for example, where the device is used on a lavatory or the like, which is provided with a drinking fountain in conjunction with the cold. water side of the system so that when the treadle is depressed to actuate the fountain there will be no danger of actuating the hot water valve. Due to the leverage obtained from the use of the L-shaped le vers, a smooth easy action is achieved without utilizing long and bulky pedals and levers so that the device may be readily operated by merely applying pressure with the toe of the foot. It is not necessary for the operator to move his foot into an awkward or unnatural position, as is the case of many of the old devices, which would tend to make the operator lose his balance. It will also be noted that the levers and treadle may be readily rotated upwardly about the rod IE! to permit easy cleaning around the device.

It will be noted from the above description that I have provided a mixing device that is very com pact and efiicient having a smooth easy operating action. It will also be noted that I have provided a device of this construction wherein long arms and levers are completely eliminated.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a foot operated mixing device of the kind described, the combination of a pair of levers having laterally extending portions, 9. treadle carried by and connecting the free ends of said levers, said treadle being rotatable relative both levers and longitudinally movable relative to at least one of said levers.

2. In a foot operated mixing device of the kind described, the combination of a pair of levers having laterally extending portions, a treadle carried by and connecting the free ends of said levers, said treadle being rotatable relative to both levers and longitudinally movable relative at least one of said levers, and means for limiting rotation of said treadle relative the levers.

3. In a foot operated mixing device of the kind described, the combination of a housing, a pair of substantially L-shaped levers pivotally connected, at one of their respective ends to a portion of the housing, and extending downwardly and then laterally outward, a treadle connecting the free ends of said levers and overlying the same, said treadle having a pair of spaced bores therein, and a member extending from each lever having an arcuate shaped portion positioned in a respective bore, at least one of said portions being longitudinally movable in its bore.

4. In a foot operated mixing device of the kind described, the combination of a housing, a pair of substantially L-shaped levers pivotally connected, at one of their respective ends to a portion of the housing, and extending downwardly and then laterally outward, a treadle connecting the free ends of said levers and overlying the same, said treadle having a pair of spaced bores therein, and a member extending from each lever having an arcuate shaped portion positioned in a respective bore, at least one of said portions being longitudinally movable in its bore, the free end of at least one of said levers extending beyond the axis of the bores to provide a stop for limiting the forward axial rotation of the treadle.

5. In a foot operated mixing device of the kind described, the combination of a housing, a pair of substantially L-shaped levers pivotally connected at one of their respective ends to a portion of the housing and having a common axis, said levers extending downwardly and then laterally outward, a treadle connecting the free ends of said levers and overlying the same, said treadle having spaced downwardly extending portions, the latter having a pair of aligned longitudinally extending bores therein, a member extending from each lever having an arcuate shaped portion positioned in a respective bore, and means for limiting the forward axial rotation of said treadle.

6. In a foot operated mixing device of the kind described, the combination of a housing, a pair of substantially L-shaped levers pivotally connected at one of their respective ends to a portion of the housing and having a common axis, said levers extending downwardly and then laterally outward, a treadle connecting the free ends of said levers, said treadle having spaced downwardly extending portions, the latter having a pair of aligned longitudinally extending bores therein, and a member extending from each lever having an arcuate shaped portion positioned in a respective bore, and the free end of at least one of said levers extending beyond the axis of the bores to provide a stop for limiting the forward axial rotation of the treadle.

7. In a foot operated mixing device of the kind described, the combination of a housing, a pair of substantially L-shaped levers pivotally connected at one of their respective ends to a.

portion of the housing and having a common axis, said levers extending downwardly and then laterally outward, a treadle connecting the free ends of said levers, said treadle having transversely extending portions, the latter having a pair of aligned longitudinally extending bores therein, and a member extending from each lever having an arcuate shaped portion positioned in a respective bore, said bores being so spaced that the arcuate portions are retained therein during movement of the levers, at least one of said arcuate portions being longitudinally movable in its bore, the free end of at least one of said levers extending beyond the axis of the bores to provide a stop for limiting the forward axial rotation' of the treadle.

LESLIE W. BEEBE. 

